Lens surfacing machine



Patented Dec. 24, 1940 TUNITDSTATS multiforme-:1

p n LENssUnFAomd y v p i mbertrlnunensi'ibpekaxms. j Q, `millenium 29, iimsr'mruq. 316,159 rowing (ci. 514124) This invention relates to improvements inlens surfacing or polishing machinesand particularly to such machines-for the1working of spherical and cylindricallens and the like. Although not 5 illustratedherein, itis to be understood that in the surfacing of cylinder lenses anysuitable `apparatus maybe utilized to maintain thelens and the lap against relative independent rotation.

One of the objectsof the .invention isto prn-l vide a machine of this character of strong, `durable, enicient `,and inexpensive construction wherein means is provided for-i adjusting I,'tlie pressure of the `lens 4Non the `lap and for moving the lens block working arm to inoperative `position for the changing of a lap or lens.

2:? may be adjusted while the machine is in operation. s n N ,I n i `With the generalobjects namedV in view andA others as `will hereinafter appear, the `invention consists in certain novelandusefulfeatures `of ,3U `construct-ion and organization of parts as hereinafter described ,and claimed; and in orderlthat itimay be fully` understood, referenced/is to `be had toythe accompanying drawings, in which-f- Figurel is a top plan view of a machine embodying the invention-with the partsocoupying the `positions shown as the lens isktravelling laterally back and' forth over the axis ofthe lap.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of `thestructure as shown in Figure 1', with the housing `broken 4u away to disclose one type of` driving transmission.

s Figure 3 is a view of the opposite sida of the machineas shown in Figures l and 42, except that the lens blockworking arm has been raised .by operation of the control handle, to its inoperative position. i,

yFigure 4 is aiv horizontal section on the line IV-IV ofFlgure 3. i V n i,

Figure 5 is ahorizontal section'on the line V-,V of Figure "3, but with certain parts disits extremes of arcuate srnovex'nent.` s s Figure y6 is an enlarged vertical section through the driving head for oscillating the lens'lblock fworking arm."

In the said drawi'MgsQ wherelike preference Another object of4 the invention is toprovide posed as they appear when the` lens is at opent,

characters identify-corresponding parts in all of the iigures, I is a lap` detachably mounted onthe upper endof a drivenI shaft Vljjournaled in'fa housing `3. The` lens block 4 carries alexis `5 .and during the constantlrotetionpf the lapjl, ,5

said lens ifisQada'ptedto berotated"by.` contact with said"lapl 'while the lens 5` is moved back and torthor. oscillated inan arcuate path across any desiredfarea of the lap I, inA simulation of hand polishing,` as will hereinafter appear. 'I'he 10 lensi and lens block I are held down against f the lap with anydesired pressure, in accordance with the thickness of the lens, through a spindle 6 fitted in a recess l' in the back of the lens block l, as common inthe art; I

The spindle i may hevertically positioned `in the end of a working arm 8 by'rneans `of a clamp screw 9.; 'The end of said working arm nts in a split clamping sleeve I0, so that by manipula- `/tion of aclarfnp screw I Is`aid arm 8` may be posi- 20 -"tined to adjust` the longitudinal Aantisof the spindle `6l to an angle substantially at right angles to the face of the lap I as usual with lens surfacing `machines of this general character.

Journaled within'thehousingl is a.' post or 25 shaftl2, the upper end` of said post I2ivbeing provided witha xed brackethavin'g a pairof spaced ears I3 and, one of said ears',r Il, being in the form of aquadrant with straight-walled notches I5 rearwardly of vitswertical Ycenter line, 80 and-with ratchet teethIB forwardly of its center line. lIhe split clamping sleeve I0 is formed `'with va pair of spacedY earsffl'l'received between the'earsi Il and I4` carried by the post` l2. i Jour- `naled in alinedopenings Iin saidearsIS--Il and 35 I1, is a shaft It', which is encircled by a spring |49, Voneend of said springlbeing securedto an abutmenty collar 20 keyed orV otherwise `secured to the shaft il, .and theother endof thespring Isisy secured to one of the 'ears I1 of the split 40 sleeve i0. ,l i

In .order toltension the spring. to force the split-sleeve Illn tov rock in a. verticalhplane on the shaft I8 and cause the arm l carrying the splindleA 8 to press the lens I against the lapi, one g5 end `o1.' said shaft Itisy secured toanroperatlng handle 2l havingaspring-advanced dog 22 for cooperative engagement with the notches I5 or with theratchetteeth Ii.' The operation of the dog 22 visco'ntrolled'bya push-rod 22a"carried by ,50 thehandle 2l. When the operating handle 2l is' thrown forwardlyto 'the position shown in Fig-f` ures "l, and. 2, the shaft `I8 has been rotated to *ensionthe spring I9 to yieldinglypress the lens 6 `against the ,lap ,I

A@llvhenjthe tensionor pres- 56 2` i t y 2,225,826

' sure applied by the arm 3 is to be relaxed or released, the dog 22 is withdrawn from a tooth Il. which permits reaction of the spring I8 to swing the handle 2| rearwardly. By preference the 5 lparts are so proportioned thatv when the handle 2| reaches a median point in its total arc of possible travel, all of the tension on the spring Il `will have been released.

`manual swinging movement of the handle 2I i will, through ytheconnection of the spring I9 and the shaft Il with the arm 3, effect upward swinging movement of said arm to withdraw the spindle yI from the lens block l (see Figures) The arm 3 may be locked at any desired pointof inopera- Al5 tive position by permitting the dog 22 to engage one of the notches IB.

In order to oscillate the post I2 to impart corresponding arcuate travelto the lens l in relation to the lap I, the post I2 is encircled by a `split collar 23, said collar y23 being adapted'to be clamped 'by means of a` hand operated clamp 2l. in' other words, when the collar 23 is clamped to the' post I2, movement of the former is transmitted tcthe latter. vTo impart movement to the y lcollar 23, aconstantly driven shaft 2b is jourknaled in the housing 3, said shaft being connected byany suitable, linkage, as by link 26, to an arm21 on the collar`23.V The connection betweenthe shaft 2l and the linkv 26, is preferably of the cranktype. In its preferred form,

there is a disk 23 on shaftl, provided with 'a ldiametric slot containing an adjustable slide block 3l.y A bolt 3| forms the pivot for the adjacent end ofthe link 2l, and said bolt 3l is tapped v into the slide block 30 and is adapted Vto clamp said block 30 at any desired point in the length ofthe slot 2l, as clearly shown by Figures 4 and This adjustment provides for varying the length of the stroke or travel imparted to the 4 link u, it being apparent that `when' the vertical axis'o'f the slide block coincides with the longitudinal axis of the shaft 2l, no travel will be imparted to the link. A I

' It vwillbe apparent that lthe operator." knowing the Y direction of rotation'of the shaft il, by inspection ofthe position of the slide-block can determine the` position of the post I2 in relation to the oscillation of the collar 23, and that by n loosening 4the clamp 2l; the post'I2 and consezluentlythe,working arm 3 and its associated ,l parts, rmay be positioned as desired, and the Aclamp 24'reapplied1to'have any determined point in the oscillation'of the lens 5, commence at any 'determined point in relation to the operating 4face of the lapv I.'A With this arrangement, and

by shortening or lengthenins the stroke through addustment of ycrocs-header slide-block 30. the operator can have the lens l travel back and forth on either side of the verticalaxis of the 6 "lap I, or lie can arrange for thelens i to travel 'over the center axis ofthe lap I, or in tronto! 'or vin thevrear ofysuchl axis (depending upon the length: of tfiejarm' l). -It will also be evident that the further forward, that is toward the 05 horizontal 'in a forward direction, the handle 2l is manipulated, the greater the spring It is tenfsionedresulting inv anincreaseof pressure between the lens'i. and thel lap I. e

Although-'any suitable mechanism may be emgg Aiioycdtp rotate shafts 2 and 2l, vthe preferred e form is shown,'in which: 32 is a' shaft constantly driven by any suitable source .of powerY (not shown). Ihe shaft 32 carriesa pulley 33 which is connectedbyja belt 34 to a pulley 3l on the han z. 'nre/shan z carries e second pulley u Further rearward which is connected by a belt 31 to drive a counter-shaft 33, from which power is tran.,- mitted by a belt 33 to a pulley 30 keyed on the shaft 2l. With thisarrangement, it will be evident that the shaft 25 rotates at a slower speed 5 than the lap-carrying shaft 2.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have produced a machine embodying ail of the features set forth as desirable; and while I have describedA and illustrated'the preferred eml0 bodiment, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to all changes within the spirit of the invention and without the ambit of the prior art.

I claim: l. In a lens working machine, a housing, a lap l5 v rotatably suported in said housing, a post Journaled in the housing eccentrically of the lap, a

Vyokeklarried by the upper end of the post. a shaft journaled in the yoke, a second yoke journaled on the shaft between the arms of the first-named 20 yoke,- a spring coiled on said shaft between the arms of the second yoke and having its ends fixed in: relation to said second' yoke and shaft respectively, a split sleeve carried by said second yokefa lens'working arm rotatably'mounted in said split sleeve, clamping means to x the position of said arm in the sleeve, one end of said arm being adapted to press a lens blockagainst the lap, and a'. lever non-rotatably mounted onthe vshaft to rotate said shaft and consequently move 3" the spring to-impart movement vto the second yoke, sleeve andl arm, movement of the lever in one direction tensioning the spring when the arm contacts 'a lens block resting on said lap, and movement of the lever in the opposite direction 35 releasing tension on the spring and oscillating the second yoke, sleeve and arm away from the lens block and lap.

2. In a lens working machine, a housing, a lap rotatably mounted in said housing, a post jour- 40 naledlin the housing eccentrically of the lap, a yoke carried by the upper end of the post, a shaft Journaledin the yoke, a second yoke journaled on said shaft between the arms of the firstnamed yoke, au spring coiled on said shaft be- 45 tween the arms of the second yoke and having `its ends ilxedin relation to the second yoke and the shaft respectively, 'a lens working arm carried by said second yoke and adapted to press a lens block against said lap, a lever non-rotat- 5o ably Vmounted on the shaft to rotate said shaft and consequently move the'- spring to impart kmovement to the second yokeV and arm, movement of the lever in one direction tensioning the spring when the arm .contacts a lens block on said 55 lap, and movement ofthe lever inthe opposite direction releasing tension on the spring and oscillating the second yoke and arm away from the lens block and lap.

3. In a lens'working machine, a housing, a' lap so y rotatably mounted in said housing, a post :lour` naled in the housing eccentrically of the lap, a yoke carried by the upper end'fof the post, a shaft -journaled in said yoke, an' arm journaled on the i ment of the lever inone direction tensioning the spring when the arm contacts a lens block on the lap, and movementl of the lever in the opposite direction releasing tension on the spring and 15 oscillating the arm awayfrom the lens block and lap. n

4. In a lens working machine, a housing, a lap rotatably mounted in the housing, a post journaled in the housing eccentrically of the lap, a yoke carried by the upper end of the post and having one of its ends forming a toothed quadrant, a shaft journaied in said yoke, an arm journaled on the shaft at one end and having its other end adapted to press a lens block against the lap, a spring coiled on the shaft and having its opposite ends respectively secured to the shaft and to said arm, a lever non-rotatably mounted on the shaft to rotate vsaid shaft and consequently move the spring to impart movement to the arm, movement of the lever in one `direotion tensioning the spring when the arm contacts a lens block resting on the lap, and movement of the lever in the opposite direction releasing tension on the spring and oscillating the arm away from the lens block and lap, and a dog pivotally connected to the Jever to selectively engage the teeth of the quadrant-to hold a desired spring tension or to retain the arm in desired position of adjustment away from the lens block and lap.

ROBERT F. DUFFENS. 

